'Planet of the Apes:' 5 reasons Caesar is such a formidable presence

In “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes,” Caesar evolves into a dangerous force. Here are some reasons why:

1. Skilled in combat: Caesar learns to defend himself while in captivity because he is continuously picked on by both Rocket (Terry Notary) and Dodge Landon (Tom Felton). He uses these skills to his advantage during the battle on the Golden Gate Bridge in "Rise of the Planet of the Apes."

2. Sign language: Growing up with humans, Caesar is taught sign language as a way of communication. During his time in captivity, Caesar uses sign language to communicate with Maurice (Karin Konoval). During the ape rebellion, he signs to command the troops. As his empire grows, Caesar — with the help of Maurice — teaches the other apes how to sign as an alternate form of communication.

3. Advanced intelligence: As the son of test subject chimpanzee Bright Eyes, Caesar inherits the ALZ-112 drug through his mother. As he grows older, Caesar’s IQ climbs higher than that of many humans. This intelligence enables him to learn self-defense and other useful means of survival. He also learns how to ride a horse during the Golden Gate Bridge skirmish. Caesar also will pass the gene down to his own sons.

4. Skilled tactician: Caesar is a brilliant tactician, displayed during the battle on the Golden Gate Bridge. He knows that police are on the other side of the bridge, so he commands the chimps in his army to climb the bridge, and the orangutans to traverse to the bottom of the bridge, while the gorillas push an overturned bus along the bridge as a shield. Caesar rides a horse to signal his troops to attack, overwhelming the police, and forcing them to retreat. This leads to the animals’ victory.

5. Speech: Caesar becomes the first ape to speak like a human, an ability he later will pass on to his two sons.